Combined sanitary can top cover and can tab opening hook



Jan. 9, 1968 D L- PEI-LEY 3,362,572

COMBINED SANITARY CAN TOF COVER AND CAN TAB OPENING HOOK Filed Feb. 7, 1966 llamranlnnz...,

INVENTOR EN/.S L .PELLEY 'TTORNEY United States Patent O 3,362,572 COMBINED SANITARY CAN TOP COVER AND CAN TAB OPENING HOOK Denis L. Pelley, 2019 Aldengate Way, Apt. 1, Hayward, Calif. 94545 Filed Feb. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 525,744 Claims. (Cl. 220-54) The present invention relates to improvements in a combined sanitary can top cover and can tab opening hook, and it consists in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a combined sanitary can top cover and can tab opening hook which can be molded from plastic or rubber and the like. The can top cover will keep the top of the can sanitary and the cover has an annular flange that encloses a portion of the can that lies adjacent to the can top so as to keep it sanitary. This permits a person to drink directly from the fluid contents in the opened can when the sanitary cover is removed and the persons lips will contact only that portion of the can that has previously been kept in a sanitary condition by the cover and its ilange.

The sanitary can top cover has been designed to be applied readily to a standard can that can -be opened by merely pulling outwardly on a tab that is secured to the can top. This pulling action on the tab will remove a scored portion of the can top so as to open the can. The sanitary cover has a can top tab gripping member so positioned that it will be connected to the tab as the cover is moved into position to enclose the can top and the adjacent cylindrical wall portion. The connection between sanitary cover and the can opening tab is such that the act of removing the sanitary cover from the can will also pull the tab to open the can top. An integral depending handle is provided for the sanitary cover and this handle normally lies against the outer cylindrical surface of the can when it can be readily grasped for removing the cover and for opening the can.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specication continues. The novel features of the invention will be set forth in the appended claims.

Drawing For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is fa transverse section taken along the line 1-1 of FIGURE 2 and shows the device operatively applied to the can opening tab which in turn forms a part of the can top.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric View of the sanitary can top cover and a portion is shown in section to illustrate how the hook for engaging with the can top tab is made integral with the cover.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the sanitary can top cover and integral tab opening hook.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description- In carrying out my invention, I show a standard can indicated generally at A and this can is provided with a can top B which in turn has a can top opening tab indicated generally at C, see FIGURES 1 and 2. I -do not wish to be confined to any particular type of can top opening tab but in the standard can shown at A, the tab C is se- Patented Jan. 9, 1968 cured to a removable can top portion D by =a rivet 1. A score line 2 is formed in the can top B and denes the removable can top portion D. In the present showing of the can top opening tab C, the handle 3 for the tab is formed into a loop so as to be more readily grasped when it is desired to open the can by merely pulling upwardly on the tab.

FIGURE l shows the can top yB provided with an annular llange 4 that is crimped or otherwise secured to the adjacent end of the can A. The flange positions the can top `B so that its convex portion 5 is disposed within the rim 6 of the flange 4. Also the rivet 1 and the tab C will lie within the area defined by the rim 6 and the convex central portion 5 of the can top. The parts thus far described form no part of my invention except insofar as they cooperate with the parts now to be described.

The sanitary can top cover is indicated generally at E and this is shown in an isometric view in FIGURE 3. The cover is preferably made of a plastic or a rubber material that has a slight flexibility and yet the hook portion F of the cover is integral with it and when it engages with the handle 3 of the tab C, it will permanently connect the cover to the tab so that a removal of the sanitary cover from the can by means of a handle G will cause the hook F to pull the handle 3 -away from the can top 5 and in turn cause the tab to tear the portion D from the can top along the score line 2. The integral flange '7 for the sanitary can cover E extends far enough down along the outer cylindrical surface of the can A so =as to keep this surface free of any foreign matter and therefore maintain it in a sanitary condition. The cylindrical surface 8 that is thus covered by the annular flange 7 will permit one to drink directly from the can by placing his lips on the sanitary can surface 8 and on the can top portion 5 that is exposed when the cover E is removed.

FIGURE 3 shows the handle G as being integral with the annular flange 7 :and depending from the flange 7. FIGURE 1 shows how the handle G will Contact with the outer adjacent surface of the can A. The handle G is ilexible enough so as to be readily grasped by the person who desires to open the can and the handle can be pulled out- Wardly and upwardly in FIGURE l for removing the sanitary cover E from the can. This same movement will cause the integral hook F which has previously engaged with the looped portion 3 of the tab C to engage with the loop and pull the tab away from the can top, this movement tearing the removable portion D -along the score line 2, see FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 3 shows the integral flange 7 of the sanitary can cover E having a predetermined depth for about 180 around the can A and then the flange gradually narrows 1n `depth along the lines 7a up to where the handle G is connected to the cover. The greater depth of the flange 7 covers the can wall 8 and keeps it sanitary where the lips of the one drinking from the can will contact with the can wall.

The narrowing depth of the flange 7 at 7a extends over about on each side of the integral handle G. This permits the reduced portion of the flange to be pulled more easily from the can when the handle G is grasped and pulled upwardly.

In order to prevent the hook F on the sanitary cover E from -accidentally pulling loose from the looped portion 3 of the tab C, I provide the hook with a width that is substantially equal to the width of the opening in the loop E of the tab. Also the integral hook F has a turned back lip portion 9 that will extend over the top of the tab loop 3 to a slight extent as clearly shown in FIGURE 2. In addition, FIGURES 1 and 3 show the sanitary cover E as being provided with an integral depending projection 10 that overlies the lip 9 when the hook is operatively connected to the tab loop 3. The projection 10 will prevent the accidental slippage of the lip 9 from the looped portion 3 and in this way the hook F will remain permanently connected to the can tab C. FIGURE 4 shows a bottom plan view of the sanitary cover E and shows the relation of the hook F to the projection 10. The lip 9 of the hook is shown by arcuate dotted lines.

Operation From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof will be readily understood. The sanitary cover E is shown in position on the can A in FIGURE 1. The hook F which is integral with the cover is in engagement with the handle 3 of the can top opening tab C. The projection 10 on the underside of the cover E contacts with the hook F as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 3 to prevent the hook from accidentally pulling free of the tab handle 3 during the removal of the cover from the can.

To remove the sanitary cover E from the can top and at the same time pull the tab C from the can top B, the cover handle G is grasped and pulled upwardly. This movement will start freeing the narrow portion 7a of the ange 7 from the can top. Continued pulling on the cover handle G will remove the cover from the can and this movement will cause the cover hook F to pull on the tab handle 3 and pull the tab C and scored can top portion D free of the can. The projection 10 prevents the cover hook F from pulling free of the tab handle 3 during this movement.

The flange 7 has kept the portion of the side wall 8 of the can A, covered and therefore in a sanitary condition. The person can drink directly from the opened can if desired and will know that the can top B is clean and also the portion 8 on the can wall that is adjacent to the opening formed by the removal portion D, is clean. This clean side wall portion extends about 180 around the can and adjacent to the can top.

I claim:

l. A sanitary can top cover for a can opened by a tab and comprising:

(a) a disc-shaped top with an annular flange for gripping the circular rim of the top of the can; and (b) means carried by said cover for gripping the can top tab so that a removal of said cover from the can will also remove the can top tab and open the can. 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1: and in which (a) said annular flange for said cover has an integral handle that is adapted to lie adjacent to the can Wall and can be pulled for removing the cover from the can top. 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2: and in which (a) said annular flange is enlarged to cover a greater length of the can wall at a point diametrically across from said handle so as to keep this portion of the can wall sanitary, the cover being positioned on the can top so as to cause said handle to be positioned close to the can top tab. 4. The combination as set forth in claim 1: and in which (a) said tab gripping means is a hook for engaging with the tab ring on the can top and is integral with said cover and yieldably depends from the undersurface thereof. 5. The `combination as set forth in claim 4: and in which (a) said cover has a depending projection on its undersurface for contacting with said can top engaging hook for holding said hook in engagement with said tab.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,204,805 9/1965 May 220--24 3,235,122 2/1966 OBlander 220-47 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, R. I. SPAR, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A SANITARY CAN TOP COVER FOR A CAN OPENED BY A TAB AND COMPRISING: (A) A DISC-SHAPED TOP WITH AN ANNULAR FLANGE FOR GRIPPING THE CIRCULAR RIM OF THE TOP OF THE CAN; AND (B) MEANS CARRIED BY SAID COVER FOR GRIPPING THE CAN TOP TAB SO THAT A REMOVAL OF SAID COVER FROM THE CAN WILL ALSO REMOVE THE CAN TOP TAB AND OPEN THE CAN. 